Failing to protect
by Daffy.Duck100
Summary: While struggling to cope with the pressure of keeping Peeta alive, Katniss battles the never ending attacks of the Hunger games arena. She had done all she could to ensure his safety, but was it enough?...


**Failing to protect**

**An alternative ending to catching fire**

Tick tock goes the clock. Tick tock goes the clock. I couldn't take it anymore; the arena was ticking away my life, slowly and painfully. Just knowing what I had to do, just thinking about what I had promised Haymitch. "Keep Peeta alive. That's all that matters now." he had said to me. I couldn't fail him, after all, he was the one who had made me look desirable, the one who saved me from breathing my last breath in the 74th hunger games, I guess I kind of owed him something. All of a sudden my mind went blank, the sound of the cannon seemed to wipe all my thoughts away and drag me into the reality that I had somehow frozen for a minute. Peeta's hand gripped mine for we both knew that there were only three of us left. Finnick, Peeta and me. Johanna had left the alliance a couple of hours ago, she had run away screaming. She must have been caught by the toxic fog, the fog that Mags had ran into when she sacrificed herself for me, Peeta and Finnick. Peeta and I looked at each other, just by the way his eye brows lifted I could tell he was thinking the same thing as me. We were going to have to split. From the way that Johanna had left us this morning, surely, Finnick won't be able to hold out much longer. It was only a matter of time.

Days had passed since Johanna's cannon had rung out; we were still waiting for Finnick to crack. Every now and then Peeta would slip a small remark about Annie into a conversation and you could tell that it wouldn't be much longer until he ran away screaming too. I couldn't help feeling guilty about tormenting Finnick like that. Getting into his head and twisting all his personal thoughts around and tying them in a tight knot. Although I felt guilty, I also had a pang of relief. Neither I nor Peeta would have to kill him. He would inflict it upon himself due to his oncoming insanity.

That very night as Finnick and Peeta lay asleep, Finnick began to talk. It was too fast and jumbled up for me to understand it, but what I definitely heard was "I'm coming...tomorrow is our meeting day". What could that possibly mean, and who was he talking to? All I knew was that he would be gone tomorrow and it will only be Peeta and I left. Just the two of us. Soon to be just him, the only victor left standing.

Morning had come quickly; I had stayed on watch all night for I didn't want to wake one of them to swap with me. Besides by the time the sun rises I will be able sleep for eternity. Never to be awoken. The thought of never seeing my mother, Prim and Gale again sickened me. I would never feel my sister's gentle touch, never see my mother's forgiving eyes and never feel Gale's soft lips pressed against mine again. My last kiss would be one to say goodbye to Peeta and to keep the cameras happy. Since the hunger games became a main part in my life that is what my training had been based around...keeping the cameras happy. Just as Peeta and I were cleaning the shell fish for our breakfast we were interrupted by Finnick who was stood about 200 yards away shouting Annie's name aloud. He shouted her name then shortly after, he followed up with "I am going to join you. The capital will not keep us apart!" As the last word left his lips he lifted his trident up high and plunged it straight into his chest. For a split second pain ran across his face then a look of relief took its place and he fell to the floor smiling. In the time it took Peeta to stand up I was already by Finnick's side. I put my hand to his face and I could feel small bristles beginning to push their way through on his perfect cheeks. His Eyes met mine, both of ours filled with tears. "I was always betting on you Katniss" he managed to cough out the words and just as Peeta finally reached us, Finnick became oblivious to the world and regained his happiness by joining his beloved Annie.

I sat there. I sat there and watched the light leave Finnick's eyes. My hand still rested upon his cheek and I didn't want to remove it. Warmth still remained in that one place, maybe it was just the sweat from my hand, but I didn't want to believe that. Peeta and I sat by his side as long as we could, but eventually the clawed hovercraft came from the outside of the dome and entered our scorching hell. It floated above us; almost tormenting us 'we will be coming for one of you next'. We just sat there like we were protesting against something but soon the dreaded claw got bored and drop over us! I grabbed Peeta by his collar and leapt forward to safety. The both of us landed off the sand strip and went straight into the water, taking out all the shell fish we had prepared. For the first time since I stepped off my platform at the start of the games, I didn't care about Peeta I wasn't bothered about protecting him. All I cared about was being able to watch Finnick float away outside the dome. I felt happy for Finnick for he no longer had to be a piece in the capitals game. He had moved as a white pawn and the capitals black queen had taken him just as easy. My day dream had taken me far away and I was only brought back by the sudden screams of Peeta! I had forgotten that he couldn't swim! He was struggling in the water splashing it all over, I was swimming as fast as I could but it didn't feel as if I was going anywhere it just felt as though Peeta was drifting further away. I had to stop to catch my breath and as I did, I remembered about the belt. The belt that had been specially made to keep those who can't swim afloat. "Peeta!" I yelled frantically "Your belt! It will make you float! Just stop struggling and stay still!" Peeta had heard me and did what I said obediently.

I began to swim again and this time I was getting closer. With every stroke I took Peeta came another inch closer. Eventually I reached him and was able to carry him safely to shore. As the both of us crawled helplessly along the sand, I looked up just hoping to see the hovercraft. Hoping to see Finnick for one more moment, but it was too late. He had left us and we were now the only ones left.

For hours we just sat opposite each other, gazing into one another's eyes. My mind was ticking over with thousands of scheming plans to get the both of us out, but I had to understand that I was saved last year. It was only by luck that Peeta was saved too, now it is his turn to be saved. We sat for a little while longer, but eventually Peeta had to break the silence. "Katniss I will get you out of here. No matter what I have to do." He was doing it again. Using his words to manipulate the minds of others, that is how he managed to create the rule change in the 74th hunger games. "We're b-b-both getting o-out of here. We just have to t-t-think of something" I stammered as I said this, so surely Peeta won't have believed me. I didn't even believe myself. I didn't have time to dwell on that thought long because before I knew it, a thunderous crash came from the mountain top. Within seconds a ginormous cloud of dust and rock blew up into the pink sky and from underneath a ferocious rock army came tumbling down the mountain side heading straight for Peeta and me. Without hesitation I shot up and took Peeta by the neck urging him to run as fast as he could. "Come on Peeta! We need to get to high ground before it reaches us!"

Peeta and I ran for our lives, not looking back a single time. We ran straight for the jungle, heading towards our old camp. Though we were running as fast as our legs could carry us the time was beginning to gain on us. I could begin to feel the intoxicating air suffocating my lungs, this is it I thought, and neither of us will escape. The game makers have decided. Even though I knew our fate, I still pursued Peeta to run faster. We were coming to the bridge that would lead us to safety, hope was beginning to overwhelm me and I forgot about Peeta. I sprinted toward the bridge, using every last drop of energy that I had left. Crossing the bridge never felt better, I let my legs collapse and I fell to the ground, embracing all the wet moss that cushioned my fall. It was only for a split second that I could enjoy my wet splendor for I had left Peeta behind...again! I urged my legs to let me stand and they reluctantly obeyed. Slowly, I felt myself hobble towards Peeta shouting for him to hurry up. "Peeta it is only one last stretch you can make it!". He was getting closer and I began to let myself relax until I heard a worrying crackling noise. It was the sound of a tree falling. Frantically, I looked around trying to spot it and without any doubt it was the tree hovering over the bridge. If it fell it would obliterate the bridge and nothing would be able to get to the other side. Peeta would be trapped if he did not get there in time.

I yelled again even louder this time "Peeta! The tree is falling; if you don't run faster you will be trapped!" My voice was breaking into a screech, the type of screech that you would only hear when someone doubted another's survival. Finally, Peeta had made it to the bridge ledge, but. It was too late. The tree had begun to fall and without any hesitation it crashed upon the bridge, knocking Peeta back as it fell!

A large cloud of dust blew me back, but in an instant I was back on my feet yelling Peeta's name. "Katniss! I'm alright!" I heard his voice from the other side of the cavern and I knew that we were done for. "Peeta, it's going to be alright just staying calm!" I lied trying to protect what could be either of our last minutes. Now that we were split from each other, the game makers would have to decide who they wanted to save. Me or Peeta. Without saying another word I sat down, facing Peeta who had done the exact same thing as me. I had tried. I tried to save him but no matter what I did I failed. Haymitch should never have trusted me with his life; it was too big a risk. Mine and Peeta's eyes met and for minutes we seemed to be in complete harmony, but that long lost harmony was stolen by a deafening roar coming from behind Peeta. Immediately we both stood up and turned to face whatever had made that noise. Standing only meters away from Peeta was a mutt, not like the ones from the last games. It was much worse. It had teeth like long piercing blades and deadly black eyes that seemed to suck you into them when you held its gaze.

My heart was in my mouth. What had I done? Not only was I saved last year but now the game makers ruled in my favor again. I didn't know what the monstrous creature would do to Peeta but I did know that he didn't stand a chance. Almost as if he had read my mind Peeta turned around and said to me "Go. I don't want you to see this." Tears were running down his face and the same thing was happening to me. I was stumbling backwards and as I did he spoke again this time asking me of something. "Promise me you won't live this lie anymore. Stop all the secrecy that we have created." He spoke in a calm voice, the voice that he used when we laid in each other's arms after a bad nightmare. I stared at him and whispered the words "I promise!" And as the last word left my lips I turned and ran.

I ran until my legs could take me no further. I fell to the floor in an instant and as I did my heart shattered. Leaving me with nothing but guilt. I was waiting, waiting for the dreaded sound of the cannon. I felt myself going crazy and leaving the world like Peeta would soon be doing. Whilst this thought lingered in my head, I heard the cannon ring. It rung out and it seemed so much louder than all the others. It rang in my ears and there was nothing I could do to stop it. He was dead...and I had failed.


End file.
